


Love Abides

by afteriwake



Series: What Love Does [6]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-31
Updated: 2012-10-31
Packaged: 2017-11-17 11:44:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/551185
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/pseuds/afteriwake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He knows he loves her. But does she love him in return?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Love Abides

**Author's Note:**

> One of my last fills for bingo at **onceuponaland**. My prompt was "Prince 'Charming' James - sink or swim."

He loved her. He knew this now, without a doubt. Whether it was the ring’s doing or fate he wasn’t sure, but he knew, deep down, that he was in love with Queen Regina. He thought of Snow sometimes, and had used Regina’s resources to make sure she hadn’t done anything drastic, but from what he heard she was slowly moving on, and he stopped worrying about her and focused on whatever it was that was growing between him and Regina.

She had told him about Daniel, the stable boy she had loved when she was younger. He knew about Snow’s role in his death, and why Regina had felt so much hatred towards her. He had also realized that Regina’s mother was manipulative and ruthless, and through their conversations he had convinced Regina to move on. He knew Daniel’s body was preserved in the royal crypt, and he also knew that since their kiss in the meadow she had visited the crypt only once, instead of more often, like she had before the kiss.

She knew that she had manipulated someone into killing Snow’s father. That was a little harder to cope with, but he was working on it. This Regina that he loved, she was so different from the cold and heartless person who had done that. She knew love again, and while it might not be true love, it made her content. Love taken away had made her the villain; love given back had made her redeemed. And he vowed he would stay by her side to make sure the redemption stuck.

She had protected him from King George’s wrath, once the man found out she hadn’t killed him. He might have risked a fight with Snow, who, while royalty, was not versed in magic. But it would be suicide to take Regina on, and everyone involved knew it. She gave King George riches, more than he knew she had in her stores. He got the feeling she had made a deal with someone for all that gold. Perhaps that imp Rumpilstilskin; supposedly he could spin straw into gold. At any rate, King George backed away peacefully, content with his newfound wealth, and James felt he could breathe again.

It had been months now since he had basically become her other half. They were inseparable now, and she invited him into meetings and consultations about the kingdom. She was actually a very good ruler, better than he himself would be, and she was slowly teaching him what it took to run a kingdom. He hoped she was doing it because she wanted him to stay by her side and rule with her, bt that hope never got voiced. Perhaps now it was time to voice it. He wanted to know exactly where he stood in her life, know exactly what he meant to her. He knew he loved her, but did she love him back?

He resolved to ask at dinner that evening, and as the hour when they shared their meal approached he found he was getting nervous. He’d faced down a dragon and armed guards and a colder, harsher Queen Regina, but the idea of voicing a declaration of his love was turning him into a nervous adolescent. As he entered her private dining chambers he steeled himself for whatever might happen.

“Regina,” he said warmly, going over to her. He always kissed her hello when they were alone, a soft, lingering kiss that took her breath away when he finally ended it. He did that tonight but he noticed a hunger on her end that usually wasn’t there. This time he was breathless when they were done.

“Hello, James,” she said with a smile. “I hope you weren’t bored today. I had to do some traveling.”

He stilled. She hadn’t told him where she was going, and there was a distinct shift in mood. “Where did you go?”

“To spy on my stepdaughter,” she said. He raised an eyebrow as she sat down. “I wanted to make sure she wouldn’t cause any problems for us. I was in disguise, so she never knew.”

“And what did you find?” he asked slowly.

“She’s falling in love with my Huntsman,” she said. “I could see it in the way they would look at each other, the way they talked to each other. They reminded me of…us.” She added that last bit quietly. “I think she’s moved on from you.”

“It must have been hard, being in the same place with her,” he said.

“Actually, it wasn’t.” He looked at her, surprised, and she chuckled. “Our talks have done a great deal to change my perspective on things. I see now that she was young and naïve, and she was manipulated by my mother. I never should have blamed Snow. The blame for Daniel’s death rests solely on my mother’s shoulders, and I should have seen that from the start. But grief will make you do strange things.”

“I’m glad you realize that now,” he said.

“I wished her happiness, but she didn’t need to hear that. She has it. And you know what? I have it too.” She reached over and clasped his hand in hers. “Have you given thought to what you want to do now that you’ve decided to truly stay?”

“It depends on a few things,” he said.

“Such as?”

“What you want me to be to you.”

“You’re not my lover,” she said thoughtfully. “You’re more than a consort.” She looked at him intently. “What do you want to be, James?”

“Your loving husband,” he said simply. “I don’t need anything more than that.”

A slow smile spread across her face. “Are you asking me to marry you?”

He nodded. “I am. I probably should give you a more flowery proposal, though. I think I’m making a mess of it.”

“No, you’re doing just fine.” She smiled wider, if that was at all possible. “Yes, James, I consent to marry you. I would be honored if you would be my husband.”

He smiled wide as well, so wide he thought his face might split. “All right. Good. You said yes.”

“Did you really think I would say no?” she asked, leaning forward.

“I wasn’t sure,” he said.

“I may have lost true love, and you may never replace him completely, but you make me happy. I don’t feel the same way towards you that I felt towards Daniel, but I do know what love feels like, and I am fairly sure I do love you.”

“That was all I wanted to know,” he said, taking her hand in his. “So, I suppose we have an announcement to make and a wedding to plan.”

“We do,” she said with a nod. “We should seal this with a kiss.”

“I can do that,” he said, leaning in and kissing her. This…this felt right. This felt true. And he was glad, ever so glad, that she loved him. That made his world complete.


End file.
